Patent GB-425571-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to short wave radio apparatus
IPC: H01Q3/44
Filed: 1934-06-13
Abstract: 425,571. Wireless transmitting and receiving systems. MARCONI'S WIRELESS TELEGRAPH CO., Ltd., Electra House, Victoria Embankment, London.-(Assignees of Linder, E. G. ; 306, Cooper Street, Camden, New Jersey, U.S.A.) June 13, 1934, No. 17507. Convention date, Aug. 31, 1933. [Classes 39 (i) and 40 (v)] Radiation of very short wave-length, usually in the form of a directive beam, is modulated by passing the wave through a region containing free electric charges, such as an ionized gas or electron discharge tube, the condition of which is varied by the modulating current. At the receiving end, the modulated wave may similarly affect a discharge device, causing currents representing the modulating signal to flow in the external circuit. As shown in Fig. 2, the dipole aerial 3 arranged at the focus of a reflector 5 is energized by an oscillator 1. In the path of the beam is placed a discharge tube 29, with its electrodes connected through a resistance to a battery 37 and through a condenser 45 to a transformer 41 fed by the signal current. The tube 29 may be spherical with one electrode 33 in the form of a ring, and the other formed as a rod 35 passing axially through the ring. The receiving tube 34 is placed at the focus of the receiving reflector 32, and its electrodes are polarized by a battery 44 and connected through a transformer 50 to an amplifier 52 and loud-speaker or other instrument 54. The modulator may comprise two electrodes placed at opposite ends of the discharge-tube, (Fig. 1, not shown). In another form shown in Fig. 3, one electrode 49 is in the form of a grating, the other electrode 51 being in the plane of the grating, which lies across the path of the beam, with the bars 55 perpendicular to the aerial 3. The voltage applied across the electrodes may be of supersonic frequency supplied from a source 57 and modulated by a microphone 61. Another form of modulator comprises an anode and cathode connected by a battery, and an intermediate grid electrode between which and the anode the signal voltage is applied (Fig. 4, not shown). The grid is preferably placed in the "Crookes dark space" of the tube. The electrodes may comprise a cylinder and an axial rod; or two interleaved comb-like electrodes, (Figs. 12 and 13, not shown). Alternatively the tube may have no internal electrodes, modulated high-frequency voltages or currents being applied to external electrodes or to a coil surrounding the tube, (Figs. 14 and 15, not shown). The modulator may comprise a long tube bent back and forth in one plane and with electrodes at the tube ends, (Fig. 10, not shown). In Fig. 16, a di-pole 157 forming the radiating aerial is enclosed in the modulating tube 159, and microphone voltages are applied between a node on the transmission line 160 and the other electrode 161. In Fig. 17, modulating voltage is applied between a cathode grating 165 and an anode 167. Close to the cathode an ionized gas layer is formed which acts as a reflector to the incident wave beam B, the amount of reflection varying with the modulating voltage. In the system shown in Fig. 5, a refracting modulator 79 is used, causing the beam to swing so that its axis approaches and recedes from the axis of the receiver reflector 7. The refracting- prism modulator may comprise a single long tube 83, Fig. 11, bent back and forth as shown, and containing neon or other suitable gas ionized by voltages applied to electrodes 85, 87 at its ends. The whole beam, or only the central portion of it, may traverse the modulating-tube ; or the beam may be brought to a focus in the neighbourhood of the modulating-tube by suitably shaping the transmission reflector, the beam being thereafter converted into a parallel beam by a lens, (Fig. 6, not shown). The modulating-tube may be a thermionic valve with modulating voltage applied to its grid. When transmission is non-directional the aerial 128, Fig. 9, may be surrounded by a spiral gas-filled tube 127 with ionizing electrodes at its ends connected to a polarizing and modulating circuit. Or the aerial may be enclosed in a straight gas-filled tube with similar electrodes and modulating circuit, (Fig. 8, not shown). The ionization of the gas within the modulating- tube may be such that the modulator operates near or at an absorption band for the wavelength employed.